A COMMANDO faces being booted out of the Royal Marines after he spied on an 11-year-old girl as she changed at a swimming pool.

Perverted Lieutenant Colonel Russell Paul, 53, hid in an adjoining cubicle and slid a mirror beneath the barrier so he could watch the youngster strip.

She had just finished a swimming lesson and was terrified to see the reflection of married Paul’s eye looking up at her, Plymouth Crown Court heard.

The highly-respected officer, who served in Afghanistan, tried to claim that he was at the pool innocently.

But police found a bag in his quarters containing 22 pairs of knickers and a computer which had been used to research “teen and pre-teen” girls.

Father-of-two Paul, of Taunton, Somerset, admitted a charge of voyeurism and was given a community order with supervision for three years.

Recorder Simon Levene also ordered him to pay £1,600 costs and a £60 victim surcharge for the “fright” he gave to the girl and a friend. He told Paul the shame he had brought on himself and his unit was “something you are going to have to live with”.

Paul is now expected to face military disciplinary proceedings, with penalties up to and including expulsion from the Marines

Llewellyn Sellick, prosecuting, said the victim spotted the mirror, a hand holding it and the reflected eye as she undressed at Plymouth’s Life Centre last June.

“She saw an eye reflected in the mirror. She covered herself with a towel and left the cubicle,” he said.

The girl called her mother and they complained to pool staff, who called police after Paul was identified on CCTV. He was arrested when he returned the next day.

Paul, whose military experience includes anti-piracy and counter-terrorism operations, claimed that the hoard of underwear was a jokey Christmas gift he received seven years ago and had kept.

Adrian Chaplin, defending, said the officer had a “very good career”. He said Paul wanted to apologise for upsetting the victims.

Detective Constable Neil Goldsmith said outside court that it was clear from CCTV footage recorded at the pool that Paul had targeted the girl, watching her and her friend as they headed to the cubicles.

He added: “Every step will be taken to trace and prosecute those who carry out these offences.”

Paul is now expected to face military disciplinary proceedings, with penalties up to and including expulsion from the Marines.

A Royal Navy spokesman said: “The service will now consider the effect of his conviction on his career.

“Any administrative action is a private matter between the employee and employer.”